The Mokran House in the central party area in the central district of Pyongyang (Photo: Google image)

Kim Jong Un hosted a New Year’s banquet on 23 January (Monday) for members of the central leadership at the Mokran (Peony) House.  KCNA reports:

A state reception was given at the Mokran House on Monday evening to mark the lunar New Year.

The dear respected Kim Jong Un provided this significant reception, associated with benevolence of leader Kim Jong Il, on the lunar New Year’s Day when the Korean people are greeting with ardent yearning for the leader.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim, Kim Yong Chun, Kim Ki Nam, Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop and officials of party, armed forces and power bodies, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, men and officers of the Korean People’s Army and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media and persons of merit.

Choe Thae Bok said in an address that thanks to Kim Jong Il’s noble love for the nation lunar New Year’s Day came to serve as an important occasion in instilling the Korean people with national pride and honor and patriotism.

The social traits of promoting excellent national traditions has been established in the country and the heyday of national culture in the era of Songun ushered in under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il who guided the work to develop the heritage of national culture as required by the demand of the era, the speaker stressed.

A woman (annotated) crosses a procession of the DPRK central leadership at the final reported visit to KJI's casket bier on 29 December 2011 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Japanese press reported late last week that Kim Jong Un married a woman who was born in 1981, making her two to three years older than Jong Un and his so-called “big sister” wife.  The young woman, a native of Cho’ngjin, North Hamgyo’ng, is the daughter of a college professor and nurse.  She attended KIS University, where she is currently enrolled in graduate coursework to become a party cadre.  Due to her academic background and her parents’ exemplary party life, she was selected in 2008 as Jong Un’s fiancee.  The engagement was initiated by Kim Kyong Hui and Jang Song Taek.  Mr. Jang  submitted the woman’s name and background to Kim Jong Il, who approved the marriage.

Korea Times reports:

New North Korean leader Kim Jong-un married a woman some two years his elder in an arrangement made by his powerful regents, a report said this week.

Japan’s Weekly Post quoted North Korean defectors as saying Kim married the woman, a graduate of the top Kim Il Sung University in 2010 after the matchmaking by his aunt and uncle, who are said to be guiding the young leader into power.

The report comes as the world continues to watch for clues about the little-known leader, who was thrust into the spotlight following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, last month.

Analysts say that Kim Kyong-hiu, the late ruler’s younger sister, and her husband Jang Song- thaek, along with other powerful military and party figures are leading the country by committee as Jong-un, thought to be no older than 30 consolidates his support.

According to the report, the young woman was chosen as her parents were loyal party members. The defectors also said she may have been picked for her resemblance to the young Kim’s mother, Ko Yong-hui and for her strong university performance.

Though often referred to as a mistress, Ko is thought to have been the love of the late Kim’s life and is the mother of his three youngest children including the heir. She is said to have been treated with “first lady” status in the North.

Meanwhile, on the way back to Pyongyang for the banquet, Jong Un visited a machine factory.  He was accompanied by Jang Song Taek, Party Secretary and NDC Member, Pak To Chun and a Korean People’s Army [KPA] retinue consisting of Party Central Military Commission members Gen. Kim Myong Kuk and Gen. Kim Won Hong as well as Gen. Pak Jae Gyong and Lt. Gen. Ri Tu Song.  KCNA reports:

Seeing new type modern machines produced by the plant, he acquainted himself in detail with their mechanism, performance and technical specifications.

He was very pleased that the plant has produced in a short period machines helpful to building a thriving nation.

New machines are not only very high in their performance but look better in shape as compared with those built in the past, he said, praising the officials, workers, scientists and technicians of the plant for producing Korean-style modern machines.

He gave instructions to the plant.

He called upon the plant to produce more modern machines suited to the specific conditions of the country on the basis of the achievements already made.

He underscored the need to work hard to increase the production of new machines and improve their quality.

It is more important to build a large quantity of machines in terms of indices and produce even a single machine effectively so that it may pay off in practice than to produce trial machines and boast them, he stressed.

It is very gratifying that the workers, scientists and technicians of the plant pledged themselves to build more modern machines true to the behests of leader Kim Jong Il, he noted, earnestly telling them that if they attain their high production goal, he will join them in visiting the leader who lies in state and making a report of victory and loyalty.

Going round various places of the plant, he acquainted himself in detail with the supply service for its employees. He showed warm loving care and benevolence for them.

There is no nothing to spare for the workers, scientists and technicians of the plant, he said, calling upon the officials to take good care of their living before production.

Making the rounds of the Kangsong Health Complex being built by the plant itself, he showed loving care for it.

KPA Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un inspects bed linen during a tour of residential quarters of KPA Large Combined Unit #671 (Photo: KCNA)

Following up two visits to Korean People’s Army [KPA] units, DPRK media reported on 22 January (Sunday) that KPA Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited KPA Unit #671.  Yonhap reports:

North Korea’s new leader Kim Jong-un made yet another visit to a military unit, his fifth this month, according to a state media report Sunday, as the young successor tries to consolidate his power after the death of his father Kim Jong-il.

Kim visited the Command of Large Combined Unit 671 and “waved back to the enthusiastically cheering service personnel” before having his photo taken with them, the official (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

“He stressed the need to further improve the command and management of the unit and establish steel-like military discipline through the concerted efforts of the commanding officers and soldiers and thus fully demonstrate the militant spirit and appearance as the most elite revolutionary forces,” KCNA said.

“He expressed his expectation and belief that the servicepersons of the large combined unit would display the heroic mettle in the sacred service to defend the country,” it continued.

The report marked the fifth visit Kim has made to a military unit this month and suggests the young leader, believed to be in his late 20s, is seeking to solidify his grip on power in a nation where military backing is considered the backbone of the country’s autocratic rule.

Kim rose to power last month after his father Kim Jong-il died on Dec. 17.

Kim Jong Un (7th L) stands for a commemorative photograph during his visit to KPA Large Combined Unit #671. Also seen in attendance are Jang Song Taek (3rd R), Gen. Kim Wo'n-hong (4th R) and Gen. Kim Myong Kuk (4th L) (Photo: KCNA)

He was accompanied by CMC Members Gen. Kim Myong Kuk and Gen. Kim Won Hong, as well as his uncle, NDC Vice-chairman Jang Song Taek.  Jang Song Taek’s last public appearance was his attendance of a music and dance performance at the 25 April House of Culture, which was reported on 9 January.

Kim Jong Un waves to service members and officers at a commemorative photograph session during his visit to KPA Large Combined Unit #671 (Photo: KCNA)

Kim Jong Un walks with service members of KPA Unit Large Combined Unit #671 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Kim Jong Un visits a study room during his visit to KPA Large Combined Unit #671 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Kim Jong Un (14th L) stands for a commemorative photograph with service members and officers of KPA Unit #3870 (Photo: KCNA)

With DPRK media claiming that he directed the May 2009 underground nuclear test, Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) was reported to have visited two Korean People’s Army [KPA] units.  Kim Jong Un’s last reported public appearance was his visit to KPA Unit #169 in South Hwanghae Province.   KCNA reports on KJU’s visit to KPA Air Force [KPAF] #354:

After acquainting himself with the unit’s combat duty, he guided the flight training of pilots.

After watching the courageous training which demonstrated the might of the air force, he praised the pilots for their good performance. He was greatly satisfied with a very high level of control of warplanes such as taking off and landing and bold and skillful movement. He was very pleased that all the pilots have been prepared as able pilots of fighters.

He repeatedly praised the pilots for their success in performing training duties before taking a photo taken with them.

He looked round a flight hall, bedroom of pilots, mess hall, soldiers’ hall and other places of the unit to take warm care of the training and living of the pilots.

After watching pilots undergo training on the table with deep attention, he expressed satisfaction over the fact that they are using their brains, thinking and putting everything into practice so that they may win any battle by skillfully using Korean-style fighting methods and tactics in keeping with the trend of the changed warfare mode and combat action regulations of the enemies and the trend of the development of arms and equipment.

After being informed that the pilots are flying to devotedly defend the headquarters of the revolution awake or asleep, singing the song that the sun is over the wings of their planes and Pyongyang is beneath them, he said that Hero Kil Yong Jo left a very good song. He told all pilots to cherish his soul.

While watching sketches done by soldiers, he said that their skills are as good as the professional painters’ and the army has many talents and reserve painters.

At the pilots’ bedroom visited by leader Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un sat on a bed without any ceremony and kindly asked if they did not feel any inconvenience on their beds.

At the mess hall, he underscored the need to provide good diet to the pilots as their mental and physical burden is heavy, saying that for them there is nothing to spare.

Kim Jong Un who visited the unit, carrying with him a freshwater fish, weighing more than 60 kg, presented by people, showed such loving care for pilots as teaching how to cook it for them to taste it.

He looked round a company under the unit to take deep care of the servicemen’s life.

He was pleased with the warm bedroom. At an educational room he listened to the song sung by the company leader and political instructor by using DVD and sent applause to them.

He called at a wash-cum-bath house and learned about where water was coming from and personally took its temperature.

Before leaving the company, he asked the company leader and political instructor to take good care of the soldiers’ living like their eldest brothers and sisters and revolutionary comrades-in-arms, adding he would like to leave the soldiers to them.

KPA Supreme Commander and acting chairman of the Party Central Military Commission Kim Jong Un (R) inspects a foodstuffs container during a visit to KPA Unit #3870. In attendance are Gen. Kim Myong Kuk (L) and Lt. Gen Ri Tu Song (2nd R) (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Kim Jong Un (L) greets a worker at a mess hall at KPA Unit #3870 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Kim Jong Un (15th L) stands for a commemorative photograph during his visit to KPA Air Force Unit #354 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Shortly after this visit, Jong Un was reported to have visited KPA Unit #3870.  KCNA reports:

He learned about the unit’s performance of duty and training.

Praising the unit for having prepared all its service personnel as a-match-for-a hundred combatants through the intensified training in hearty response to the Party’s slogan “Training Is Also a Battle!” he highly appreciated their militant spirit of training, the spirit of thinking of preparations for combat only awake or asleep.

He set forth the tasks to be carried out to bolster the combat capability of the unit.

He looked round the soldiers’ hall, mess hall and various other places to take deep care of their living.

He dropped in at a library and stressed the need to send more must books to the soldiers. Once they finish their service in the army, they should be let to acquire the same ample knowledge as college or university graduates’, he noted, underscoring the need to prepare all service personnel as Songun revolutionary fighters equipped with the spirit of devotedly defending the socialist homeland.

He praised the unit for splendidly building the soldiers’ hall and constructing its facade well.

He personally tasted bean paste produced by the unit itself and learned about the use of the agro-stock farm and the general processing center built by it and its other supply service facilities. He repeatedly praised its commanding officers for doing a lot of work by fully displaying the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance.

Walking the compound of the barracks, he said the service personnel of the unit successfully spruced up the barracks and areas around it as required by the Songun era and as befitting the creators of the revolutionary soldier culture in the Songun era.

This unit set an example not only in combat and political training but in all aspects including command and management of the unit and its supply service, he noted, adding all the service personnel glorifying their precious youth after turning out to defend the country are excellent revolutionaries and precious treasures of the country.

Noting that such traits of revolutionary comradeship whereby commanding officers love their soldiers like their real younger brothers while the latter follow the former like their eldest brothers and sisters and help and lead each other along are in fuller bloom, he said that this is the proud tradition and traits of the heroic KPA, the army of the party and the revolution.

Kim Jong Un watches a presentation during his visit to KPA Air Force Unit #354. Seen in attendance behind him are: Gen. Kim Myong Kuk (R; seated); Gen. Kim Won Hong (2nd R; standing) and Lt. Gen. Ri Tu Song (3rd R; seated) (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

Kim Jong Un greets pilots during his visit to KPA Air Force Unit #354 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

According to KCNA, at both of these visits KJU was  accompanied by Party Central Military Commission members Gen. Kim Myong Kuk (Chief, General Staff Operations Bureau) and Gen. Kim Won Hong (Chief, Military Security Command), as well as Lt. Gen. Ri Tu Song.  VMar Ri Yong Ho and Gen. Pak Jae Gyong, who visited KPA Unit #169 with KJU seemed to have returned to Pyongyang.  Interestingly on his visit to the air force unit, Jong Un was not reported to have been accompanied by Gen. Ri Pyong Chol, a CMC member and commander of the Air Force.

Finally, KCNA reported KJU’s visits on 20 January 2012.  Remarks attributed to Jong Un in both news items focus on family, specifically siblings.  At his visit to Unit #3870 Jong Un requests the commanders “to take good care of the soldiers’ living like their eldest brothers and sisters and revolutionary comrades-in-arms” and at his visit to the air force unit Jong Un talks about how commanders  ”love their soldiers like their real younger brothers while the latter follow the former like their eldest brothers and sisters and help and lead each other along are in fuller bloom.”  Since the death of Kim Jong Il, DPRK media has emphasized the concept that DPRK citizens live as “a big socialist family.”  However, both the date of the news reports and the references to “elder” and younger siblings may be a response to the 20 January release of a book of exchanges between a Japanese journalist and Jong Un’s oldest brother**, Kim Jong Nam.

Members of KPA Unit #3870 greet Kim Jong Un (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

**Although Jong Nam and Jong Un are technically half or step-brothers, in interviews and other interactions Jong Nam has consistently referred to Jong Un as “my brother”